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Special Interests Holidays -
Natural World
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Discover the Pyrenean Natural World
Discover Birds
Discover Bird for Beginners
Discover Birds in Winter
Birdwatching for the BTO
Atlas NEW

Discover Wildlife
Discover Wild Flowers
Discover Geology
Charles Darwin and Wildlife
Tour NEW

Fossil Hunting
Walking with the Stars

Holidays for groups of 11 or more
More about Leisure Activity Holidays
 

Natural world

It's so much better than TV. Nothing matches the thrill of being up close and personal with nature. Realworld Wildlife holidays introduce you to the astounding creatures and habitats of the British countryside.

IMPORTANT FACTS

  • Most transport costs are included. See individual descriptions for any additional costs.
  • Itineraries are flexible to take advantage of prevailing weather conditions and places for the best sightings.
  • Any entrance fees, eg to RSPB hides, are included unless otherwise stated in the individual holiday description.
  • Group size is limited to around 15 people.
  • No specialist knowledge is required for any of these holidays.

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Discover the Pyrenean Natural World

Learn more about the Pyrenees' fascinating variety of flora and fauna in the company of an HF Holidays' leader and knowledgeable local guide. We'll discover more about the region's glacial landscapes and unique eco-system while enjoying the abundant wild flowers and sightings of marmots and eagles.

Date Location Leader Prices
(with flight)
Price
(without flight)
Sat 13 June 2009 (7nts) Luz St Sauveur, Pyrenees Liz Tryner £849 £629

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Discover Birds

Join a small group, with a leader who knows when and where you'll get the best chances to see interesting and unusual birds in their natural habitats. There'll be a little bit of walking (less than 6 miles per day) and we may visit reserves or venture out at dawn or dusk to catch a glimpse of the more elusive ones.

Your leader will take you on leisurely, superbly scenic walks (up to 6 miles but often less) through some of the richest sites in Britain, and sightings are likely to be excellent. We plan to visit a variety of habitats, and see warblers, finches, wagtails, terns and maybe the occasional rarity. Distances walked will be adapted according to the birds, habitat and prevailing weather.

Dartmoor: lush woodland contrasts with the famous moorland of Dartmoor and South Devon headlands to give us much to enjoy. Resident birds include Cirl Buntings, whose stronghold is the South Hams. Peregrine, Raven, Dipper, Pied Flycatcher and Little Egret are all relatively easy birds for us to find.
Derbyshire Dales: the activity of breeding birds is at its most intense in the Peak District in early June. We will visit both the White Peak and Dark Peak with their rich variety of habitat, which includes woodland, farmland, parkland, moorland and river valleys. We hope to see many of the breeding birds of the Peak including Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Wheatear, Whinchat, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Common Sandpiper, Red Grouse and Curlew.
Southern Lake District: Visit a variety of habitats, including the seabird colony at the RSPB reserve of St. Bees Head. Here can be seen thousands of guillemots along with kittiwakes, fulmars and razorbills.
Western Highlands: inland lochs, sea lochs, moorland, woodland and mountain provide a majestic backdrop. The highlight is our trip to find Sea Eagles on the Isle of Mull.
Isle of Arran: a naturalist’s paradise of great scenic variety. Shore to hill top takes us from Oystercatchers to Eagles.
Isle of Wight: one of England's best birdwatching areas with a variety of habitats conducive to a good species count.
Northumberland: birds ranging from Auks to Raptors make the Northumberland hills and coast premier sites for birdwatching. Weather permitting, we'll also travel to the Farne islands (allow £30). Snowdonia: sea cliffs, river estuaries and mountains provide habitats for Puffin, Chough, Dipper, Flycatchers and Goldcrest.
Snowdonia: sea cliffs, river estuaries and mountains provide habitats for Puffin, Chough, Dipper, Flycatchers and Goldcrest.


Date Location Leaders Price
Fri 8 May 2009 (3nts) Southern Lake District Name to follow £289
Sat 16 May 2009 (7nts) Northumberland Name to follow £659
Sat 23 May 2009 (7nts) Isle of Arran Name to follow £659
Fri 29 May 2009 (3nts) Derbyshire Dales Name to follow £299
Sat 13 June 2009 (7nts) Western Highlands Name to follow £669
Sat 12 Sept 2009 (7nts) Isle of Arran Name to follow £649
Sat 26 Sept 2009 (4nts) Derbyshire Dales Name to follow £419
Sat 26 Sept 2009 (4nts) Isle of Wight Name to follow £409
Sat 3 Oct 2009 (4nts) Dartmoor Name to follow £409
Fri 16 Oct 2009 (3nts) Snowdonia Name to follow £269

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners and those with more experience.
Discover Birds for Beginners

Join our friendly experts who will introduce you to the jargon and the etiquette of this fascinating pastime. We'll help you identify common species and give you tips on discovering the habitats and behaviour of some of the country's more endangered residents and visitors. Expect to walk between 3 and 7 miles each day.

Enjoy leisurely, scenic walks of 3-7 miles learning about the difference between males and females, size, behaviour, habitat, and how to use a field guide. We'll give you the confidence to identify a few species, at which point you'll be hooked.

Northumberland: an autumn weekend in a birdwatcher’s paradise learning the basics. While the seabirds are for some the most fascinating, others use the area as a staging post in their great journeys around the world. Enjoy contrasting settings on two full days out as well as lectures indoors.
Isle of Arran: Arran’s compact nature and varied habitats make it an ideal location for a week’s birdwatching holiday and introduction to this fascinating world. During the week you will travel widely around this beautiful island, from shore to hilltop, to enjoy the island and its birds.
South Downs: Important coastal and wetland habitats at Pagham and Arun Valley, also heaths, woods and parkland. Local residents include. stonechats and Dartford warblers.

Date Location Leaders Price
Mon 4 May 2009 (4nts) South Downs Name to follow £359
Sat 3 Oct 2009 (4nts) Isle of Arran Name to follow £359

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners.
Discover Birds in Winter

As winter migrants arrive in the country's important wetland sites, we'll take you to the best and the most dramatic. An expert leader will help you identify the different species, give tips on their behaviour and how to count and record your sightings. Leisurely paced walks up to 5 miles..

Your leader will take you on leisurely, superbly scenic walks through some of the richest sites in Britain to see the best winter birds.


Cotswolds
: we'll visit Slimbridge, home to the world's largest wildfowl collection, and the Cotswold Water Park where we may see Water Rail, Spotted Redshank and Red-crested Pochard.
Northern Lake District: the Solway Firth and Morecambe Bay, as well as the sands and estuaries of West Cumbria are areas of international importance for wintering wildfowl and waders. We also visit Leighton Moss RSPB reserve.


Date Location Leader Price
Mon 17 Nov 2008 (4nts) South Downs Nane to follow £329
Fri 21 Nov 2008 (3nts) Cotswolds Nane to follow £249
Mon 24 Nov 2008 (4nts) Cotswolds Nane to follow £329
Sun 8 Nov 2009 (5nts) Northern Lake District Nane to follow £459
Mon 9 Nov 2009 (4nts) Cotswolds Name to follow £329

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners and those with more experience.
Birdwatching for the BTO Atlas NEW
In 2012 the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is publishing a major new atlas of British birds. Join an experienced ornithologist as he seeks out the less common species to add to the atlas records.

 

Date Location Prices from
Mon 27 April 2009 (7nts) Snowdonia £649

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Who's it for?

Experienced birdwatchers.
Discover Wildlife

Whether you're out for a ramble, walking the dog or just taking a stroll, there's wildlife all around us. Let our expert leaders help you unlock some of its secrets and you may never look at the countryside in the same way again.
Oystercatchers to oysterplants, it's all here on leisurely paced walks of up to 8 miles.

Your leader will take you on leisurely, superbly scenic walks through some of the richest sites in Britain, and sightings are likely to be excellent. You will visit a variety of habitats and walks are up to 8 miles.

Cornwall: the highlight is surely the new Sea Safari cruise along the south coast of Cornwall; an exhilarating experience of nature and the sea. Sightings can include dolphins and porpoises and occasionally even whales, and we will also learn about the historical sights and natural environment of this outstanding coastline. On dry land we go to Lizard Point, to look for specialist plants, some of which occur either rarely or nowhere else in Britain, plus Butterflies & Dragonflies.
Dartmoor: South Devon's many habitats offer opportunities to see guillemot, pied flycatcher and redstart, and maybe even an otter.
Isle of Arran: our Arran safari could include golden eagles, a variety of seabirds, seals, red deer, and perhaps an otter and basking shark. During this holiday we travel widely around this beautiful island.
South Downs: If you want to see the rare Field Cricket, the insectivorous Sundew plant, ancient wood pasture and flowers with names like Wood Spurge and Yellow Archangel, join us for the perfect short break providing insight into abundant summer wildlife.


Date Location Leader Price
Sat 16 May 2009 (7nts) Dartmoor Name to follow £669
Sat 30 May 2009 (7nts) Isle of Arran Name to follow £669
Sat 20 June 2009 (7nts) Isle of Arran Name to follow £669
Sat 18 July 2009 (4nts) Cornwall Name to follow £389
Sat 22 Aug 2009 (7nts) Cornwall Name to follow £669

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners and those with some experience. Walking up to 8 miles each day.
Discover Wild Flowers

Ever wondered what a flower is called, or how it got its name. What does it say about the climate, soil and topography of its habitat? Britain is blessed with an incredibly diverse range of natural flora. Your experienced leader will guide you to the best sites and provide lots of structured advice for beginners.

Enjoy looking for Britain's remarkable range of wild flowers on leisurely walks of up to 6 miles. Your experienced leader will guide you to the best sites and provide lots of structured advice for beginners.
Derbyshire Dales: limestone dales and woodlands have a colourful array of flowers, including rare species such as the Frog Orchid and Burnt Orchid.
Isle of Wight: a mild climate and chalk downland make the Isle of Wight one of the best areas for wild flowers, including White Horehound, Toadflax, Bellflower and Hound's Tongue.
Southern Yorkshire Dales: the verdant Dales fields and verges are overflowing with wild flowers including Meadow Cranesbill, Dog Daisies and Meadow Sweet.

Date Location Leader Price
Sat 13 June 2009 (4nts) Southern Yorkshire Dales Name to follow £369
Mon 15 June 2009 (4nts) Derbyshire Dales Name to follow £369
Wed 17 June 2009 (3nts) Southern Yorkshire Dales Name to follow £279
Sat 20 June 2009 (4nts) Isle of Wight Name to follow £369
Wed 24 June 2009 (3nts) Isle of Wight Name to follow £279

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners and those with some experience. Walk up to 6 miles each day.
Discover Geology

It's all in the rocks! With an expert geologist, we'll walk through the most beautiful scenery in Britain and learn about the influence of the rocks that lie beneath. Informal talks in the evening will illustrate and enlighten. Some of the
walking will be over rough terrain.

Explore an array of rock formations and fossils depending on the area. In learning how nature has shaped the region you also walk through the area's most beautiful scenery encountering geological features. In the evenings there will be informal talks. Walks up to 3 miles, occasionally over rough and boggy ground.
Isle of Arran: one of the world's classic geological locations, with a wide range of formations and great variety of rock types. During this holiday we travel widely around this beautiful island.
Northern Lake District: Sort out your Ordovician from your Silurian as we take you to the fascinating area around Keswick to see Skiddaw Slates and the Borrowdale Volcanics, and to other places so that a walk in the Lakes will never be the same again. Either the Eden Valley or St Bees will also feature for its red sandstone.
Southern Lake District: the geology of the Lake District spans 500 million years and was once under tropical seas, covered by a desert, and at the centre of intense volcanic activity.

 

Date Location Leader Price
Mon 8 June 2009 (4nts) Southern Lake District Name to follow £359
Sat 9 May 2009 (7nts) North York Moors Name to follow £639
Sat 27 June 2009 (7nts) Isle of Arran Name to follow £639
Sun 11 Oct 2009 (6nts) Northern Lake District Name to follow £549

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners and those with some experience. Walks up to 3 miles over rough
terrain.
Charles Darwin Naturalist NEW

In 2009 it will be 150 years since Darwin's On the Origin of Species was first published, and 200 years since this controversial and world changing naturalist was born. In the company of an expert we shall explore Darwin's life and ideas, and visit his home of Down House in Kent. On two days there'll be wildlife discovery walks of up to 3 miles.
2009 is the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of ‘On the Origin of Species’. During this holiday we shall explore Darwin’s life and ideas, and visit his home of Down House in Kent. On two days there will be walks of up to 3 miles with a wildlife theme.

 

Date Location Prices from
Mon 9 March 2009 (4nts) South Downs £339

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Who's it for?

Anyone with an interest in wildlife.
Fossil Hunting (Walking with Dinosaurs)
The real walking with dinosaurs. Accompanied by an expert, you'll find even a basic knowledge of fossils is enough to transform a short walk along the beach into a journey back into the prehistoric world of the dinosaurs. With illustrated talks and evening discussions, we'll identify our finds and maybe even cut them for
display.


With only a basic knowledge of fossils, a short walk (up to 3 miles at a leisurely pace) along the beach can become a journey back into the prehistoric world of the dinosaurs. Fossils dating
from 65 to 130 million years ago are frequently exposed by coastal erosion. In fact, the South coast of the Isle of Wight is well known for its Iguanodon bones and footprints. There will be a visit to Sandown Museum, illustrated talks and evening discussions when specimens can
be identified. You may also have your ‘finds’ cut for display with a
diamond saw.

 

Date Location Prices from
Sat 4 July 2009 (7nts) Isle of Wight £669

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners and those with some experience. Walks up to 3 miles at a leisurely
pace.
Walking with the Stars

Start making sense of the night sky. In our evening sessions we'll look at objects that can be seen with the naked eye, through binoculars or a small telescope. There'll be talks too, on the creation of the universe, galaxies, stars, the moon and planets, comets, meteors and asteroids. Enjoy optional guided walks in the
afternoon.

Date Location Prices from
Fri 13 March 2009 South Downs £289

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Who's it for?

Ideal for beginners and those with some experience.

SITE MAP

HF Holidays, Catalyst House, 720 Centennial Court, Centennial Park, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3SY
E-mail : info@hfholidays.co.uk Tel : +44 (0) 20 8732 1220
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